New Jersey Geography

Basic Facts

• Geographical Region: Northeast
• Size: 8722 sq.mi., 47th rank overall.
• Admitted to Statehood: December 18, 1787
• Population: 8,707,739;11th rank overall.
• Capital: Trenton
• Other Major City: Newark
• Abbreviation: NJ

Fun Facts

• Nickname: Garden State
• State Flag: Click Here (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Bird: Eastern Goldfinch (opens window to 50states.com)
• State Flower: Violet (opens window to 50states.com)

Geographical Description

• The Atlantic Coastal Plain is an area of gently rolling lowlands covering more than half the state. The northern area of this region consists of salt marshes, lagoons and meadows.
• To the west of the coastal area are the Pine Barrens, a region of dense forests and small rivers.
• Just to the north of the Atlantic Coastal Plain is the Piedmont region. It's a 20-mile wide strip consisting of many large rivers and is highly populated.
• The Highlands to the north of the Piedmont are characterized by many lakes in the valleys between the flat-topped ridges.
• The northwest corner of the state is known as the Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region. It is home to New Jersey's highest elevations and includes the Kittatinny Mountains.

Map: Relief Map of NJ

Industry

Pharmaceuticals, chemical products, food processing, electric equipment, machinery, printing and publishing, tourism.

Agriculture

Cranberry, blueberries, nursery stock, horses, vegetables, fruits, nuts, poultry, seafood, dairy products.

Other Information

Fun Facts:

• An average 1,030 people per square mile, New Jersey has the highest population density in the United States.
• New Jersey is home to the first Indian reservation.
• The first nearly complete skeleton of a Hadrosaurus dinosaur was discovered in Haddonfield, New Jersey in 1858 sparking the beginning of modern paleontology.
• 90% of New Jersey's population lives in an urban area, making it home to the highest percent urban population in the U.S.
• All of New Jersey's counties are classified as metropolitan areas.
• Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, light bulb, and motion picture projector in his Menlo Park Laboratory.

More Fun Facts: http://www.50states.com/facts/newjerse.htm